Ireland’s Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has introduced a new rule that will see motorists in the Republic receive a fine and/or penalty points for driving a vehicle with defective or worn tyres. The Fixed Charge Notice rule came into effect yesterday and adds teeth to the existing rules on driving with defective or worn tyres; drivers will now be fined €80 and have two penalty points endorsed on their licence upon payment of the fine, or will be given four penalty points following conviction in court.

“Following consultation with the Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána, I have decided to extend the fixed charge notice system to vehicles with defective or worn tyres,” stated Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, upon announcing the new measures on 15 April. “This new measure is intended to promote greater awareness among motorists of the hazards of driving with tyres that are not in roadworthy condition.

“Since the penalty points system was introduced in 2002, there has been a dramatic fall in the numbers dying needlessly on our roads,” Donohoe added. “The penalty points system has played an important role in reducing fatalities and improving road safety since that time. We need to keep up the pressure to reduce road deaths, and I am confident that the measure I am introducing today will make an important contribution to achieving that.”